President Nana Akufo-Addo has suspended the Upper West regional minister following reports of political vigilantism in the region.

Sulemana Alhassan is alleged to have instructed the release of some NPP thugs who were arrested after they attacked some officers of the Upper West National Disaster Management Organisation.

He has denied the allegation against him but that did not stop the president from cracking the whip.

In a desperate attempt to end the act of vigilantism in the country, the president has suspended Sulemana Alhassan from office.

A statement issued and signed by the Director of Communications at the presidency Eugene Arhin, said Alhassan has been suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of the investigations into the alleged attack. 

The suspension is part of steps being taken by the government to ensure law and order and to guard the sanctity of rule of law in the country.

The Deputy Regional Minister Amidu Ishaq has been asked to act in the stead of Sulemana pending the conclusion of the investigation, the statement added.

The suspension follows several acts of violence committed in the name of politics by followers of the governing party.

Angry New Patriotic Party youth have over the last 11 months held the country hostage with numerous attacks on individuals, institutions and even on party members.

They have taken over the running of public toilets, public transport stations, NADMO, NYA and other public offices.

Despite several condemnations by the president and calls on the police to arrest the suspects, the attacks did not stop.

On Wednesday party loyalists in the Wa East constituency of the Upper West region invaded the offices of the NADMO office in an attempt to attack the Regional Coordinator, Isaac Seidu who is also the Regional Organiser of the NPP.

The attack was in relation to the NPP polling station executive election ongoing across the country.

But for the immediate arrival of the police, the situation would have been bloody. One person was assaulted by the hooligans.

The police were reported to have arrested some of the hooligans but on the orders of the regional minister, the suspects were released.

Sulemana Alhassan told Joy News' Rafiq Salam he only intervened but did not instruct their release.